What happened: On Wednesday, October 2, a viral alarm was triggered at Hamburg's train station. It was suspected that a 26-year-old German medical student and his partner, both from Rwanda, were infected with the Marburg virus. A day later, a German newspaper reported their test results. They tested negative for PCR. According to the Hamburg Department of Social Welfare, the couple never had any symptoms typical of the Marburg virus. However, they will continue to be monitored for about 21 days.
The Marburg virus belongs to the same family as Ebola. It causes hemorrhagic fever, which is an especially dangerous disease. The fatality rate can reach up to 88%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease was first identified in 1967, with two major outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany and in Belgrade, Serbia. The infections were linked to laboratory work on monkeys imported from Uganda. In subsequent years, cases were detected in various countries, primarily in Africa.
Transmission: According to WHO, humans can contract the Marburg virus from animals. Transmission can also occur through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, as well as surfaces contaminated with these fluids, such as bedding or clothing.
Symptoms: The incubation period is typically 5-10 days. The illness starts suddenly with general weakness, headaches, muscle pain, and high fever with chills. Around five days after the onset of symptoms, a maculopapular rash appears on the torso, accompanied by respiratory symptoms, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and persistent watery diarrhea.
Development of hemorrhagic fever: The patient rapidly loses weight, and their condition deteriorates quickly. They may experience extreme exhaustion, liver damage with jaundice, pancreatitis, and complications affecting the nervous system, such as delirium and altered consciousness. Eventually, multi-organ failure develops, leading to shock with hemorrhagic symptoms, including petechiae on the skin and mucous membranes, and massive internal bleeding, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs.
Treatment: "There is no specific treatment or vaccine for either Ebola or Marburg hemorrhagic fevers. The lack of effective treatment and the high infectiousness of the virus necessitate the use of appropriate protective measures for those in contact with or caring for an infected person (e.g., special isolation conditions and personal protective equipment)," emphasizes Poland's Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
